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Monthly Archives: August 2016

Call him stubborn or bold, Mukul Sangma had his way, once again. The cabinet reshuffle, after three and a half years of heading the government, is an indication that Mukul Sangma won’t bow much to the pressure of his dissidents, who have been after his blood for a long time. Every time the fire of dissidence starts getting bigger, Mukul plays his card and makes AICC declare it a ‘family matter’. Mukul stays on, quite an achievement considering the state’s infamy of political instability. Despite speculations of his losing the chair several times in the past five years, owing to trouble in his own party, he kept on holding the rein.

Both the new incumbents, Ronny V Lyngdoh and Martin Danggo, were known to be Mukul confidante, until they were also reportedly seen in the dissident camp in the last wave against Mukul. With the reshuffle, Mukul now has at least two new faces to vouch for him in the cabinet as those who were shown the door reportedly had not been firm in their support (to Mukul). While the outgoing health minister AL Hek, a former BJP MLA, reportedly met top leadership of the saffron party, the Congress veteran deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh was not shy of sharing dissidents’ concern over Mukul’s ‘dictatorial’ leadership.

As it used to be, performance could be the least-considered criterion in going ahead with the cabinet reshuffle. However, the age factor might also have gone against Rowell Lyngdoh while it’s not clear what actually went against Hek to be shown the door. Ronnie Lyngdoh is considered a young and audible voice in the assembly as well as outside. However, the reshuffle has least positive to do with public affairs. It’s just a survival tactic of the government, or to be precise, of Mukul Sangma. Political considerations always get preference in major decisions of the government, rather than the ground reality.

Better be late than never. Finally, the nation is going to have a regulation on the multi-crore industry of surrogacy. There are around 3000 clinics doing the business of lending wombs, sans any regulation. A woman could become a surrogate in lieu of money. The sum used to be huge and thus attracts unscrupulous elements. There is immense scope of exploitation of both the baby-seeking parents and the surrogate mother. Surrogates, mostly being poor and illiterate, are sometimes left with infant girls and deformed babies that the parents-to-be do not want to accept. For the latter, there is now 10-year jail and fine of Rs 10 lakh. Likewise, the parents are sometimes cheated by the clinic about information on the surrogate, her health condition. There will be little room left for this lacunae with the new regulation seeking only ‘close relatives’ of the parents to be eligible to become surrogate.

The biggest change the bill is going to bring is the complete abolition of the ‘fee’ of the mother. Although there will be still reason for underprivileged women to be surrogate as the ‘fee’ will be provided in guise of medical and other expenses, it will be harder for the clinics to find surrogates. On the other hand, it is likely to bring smiles to genuine (married and without children) couples as the surrogacy cost is likely to come down. Since the surrogate has to be from the ‘relatives’, it will be sympathy and concern more than money to convince her to lend her womb. The bill is also likely to put an end to the process of giving birth to a ‘profession’ of being surrogate mothers. A woman cannot become a surrogate for a second time!

Although the Centre’s concern in making only a ‘close relative’ of the couple eligible to be surrogate is understood, it is going to be very difficult to find one. Besides the money part, which will be hard to handle between relatives, the future proximity of the child and the surrogate is another concern. In present cases, the relation between the couple and the surrogate ends after birth of the child. The couple never wants the surrogate to get emotional about the child and maintains maximum distance possible with her. But in case of a ‘relative’ surrogate, keeping the child in dark about his birth may not be possible for long. The only option left with the parents will be to disclose everything to the child after some age. This might lead to conflict, but truth should prevail!

As Meghalaya BJP has said, it will be very difficult to get Centre convinced to exempt the state from Central mining laws through a Presidential notification, as allegedly mandated in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The coal mining ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has hit the state’s economy hard for the past two years. The government is under tremendous pressure (from mining lobby) to ensure mining resumed. The pressure is even more as a good section of the state’s cabinet and ruling MLAs are also into the business. On the other hand, the BJP too has projected itself on the miners’ side, against the Congress-led government. The party maintains that the state government is yet to re-submit the scientific mining plan, which was earlier rejected by the concerned Central ministry and sought a ‘customised and not copied’ mining plan in accordance to the geographical situation in the state. The BJP quoted the Centre as terming the mining plan to be copied from other states even as the mining conditions are unique in the state with thinner layers of coal spreading across a vast area.

The BJP’s doubt over the state government getting exemption from the Central mining laws is that the case of illegal rat-hole mining is still pending in the state. Effluents from coal mines damaging water resources in downstream areas was the basic contention of a PIL that led to the mining ban two years ago. Another concern was that the mining activity was not benefiting the economy and common people as such as a ‘mining mafia’ was taking control affair of the whole state. If fact, it is said that all assembly elections in Meghalaya, especially in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, are fought with coal miners’ money. It is this unaccounted, but huge money, from the so-far-unregulated sector that is sometimes blamed for toppling government overnight in the state. Besides worrying for the state exchequer, the government as well as the BJP, which is spreading its base very fast in the state, has other reasons to be on the side of the miners. Some of the speakers at a BJP press conference were coal miners themselves, although they said they had been with the party ‘for long’.

Given a chance, no political party in the state would stand against the rampant unscientific way of coal mining that caused ‘death’ to a number of rivers in coal-rich Jaintia Hills region. Bottled water has been the way of life in the water abundant region. Most people left cultivation either due to effluents from mines making their fields acidic or the lure of easy money from mining sector. There had been absolutely no government regulation on the sector that government admits was a major revenue earning source. Protecting safety and rights of mine workers was never thought of by the government until the NGT opened its eyes, albeit too late. Now that every party wants exemption for the state from Central mining laws they should also make it clear if they want to go back to the same ‘traditional system’? If environment does not matter to them at all since the politics has to be fuelled by coal miners? The NGT, probably, has the same worry and not lifting the ban till now.

There has been a gradual shift from regionalism to nationalism, from nationalism to humanism, worldwide. While all the three traits, in different extent, are visible in every modern human being one or two of them are dominant in nations, regions and communities. But there is hardly a good balance seen among the all three in most parts of the world. One comes at the cost of the other! People often overlook humanism in the name of regionalism and nationalism. Even regionalism grows at the cost of nationalism. The spirit of the three human traits is also based on issues. One person with strong regional spirit – even at the cost of being ‘anti-national’ – on one issue can be very patriotic, even to the extent of sacrificing human values.

Very strong spirit of regionalism is a prime cause of conflicts in the North-east, Jammu and Kashmir, the Naxal belt etc. The North-east being the home to several hundred tribes and communities, with different dialects and languages, has suffered from conflicts for decades. States like Manipur, Nagaland, Assam and Meghalaya have seen many ethnic massacres over the decades. However, the frequency of such incidents has come down, to a great extent. Regionalism is slowly being replaced by nationalism, and also humanism. Bangladeshi migrants are no more beaten in public in Assam.

The growing spirit of nationalism is also seen during celebration of Independence Day, Republic Day etc. Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, while reacting to ‘serial blasts’ on Independence Day in upper Assam sans any human casualty, rightly pointed out the blasts failed to prevent people from coming to the celebration. Nowadays, every institution is proud to celebrate the national days. Schools are in a race to outdo each other in terms of volume and quality of Independence Day programmes. There is a competitive spirit among district authorities to become innovative in the celebration. West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya hosted a football tournament with teams renamed as ‘Bhagat Singh’, ‘Mangal Pandey’ etc.

As the gradual shift from regionalism to nationalism is visible, humanism has still taken the backseat. In a globalised world, conflicts between races and nations will continue unless humanism spirit takes root in humans. Natives of the world must learn to live like one, else the future is doomed.

In Rio, the size of Indian contingent is 121, a huge leap compared to 83 at London in 2012. The Olympic is already halfway through, yet there is no medal hope for over 1.2 billion people. India’s medal tally in all Olympics in past 116 years is: Gold – 9, Silver – 6 and Bronze – 11; total – 26. Michael Phelps too won 26 Olympic medals including 22 Gold, in past 16 years! The world’s biggest democracy that very often claims itself a future superpower is far behind a US swimmer in terms of all time Olympic medal tally! Something is seriously wrong. Is it poverty, is it malnutrition, is it politics, is it wrong priority, is it culture? It’s time to find out.

Most athletes in India come from poor economic background, thanks to their sheer determination. Even though malnutrition during childhood may not have an impact on someone becoming a top politician or IT expert, it can have make marginal difference on the performance of a sportsperson. The slight impact can have punch bigger holes when it comes to international arena like Olympic. Right priority of a sportsperson also matters a lot. Many of the country’s athletes aspire for job in the forces or a PSU on sports quota. It’s not their fault. They have to ensure their economic security. The current system has not been able to allay their fear of sustainability in the sports itself. They know once they are out of the ring, they have to fend for themselves. Even while playing, they are not completely taken care of.

There is a big role for sports administrators and organisers. But they make it even bigger for themselves. Cricket administrator like Srinivasan is seen as tycoon and cricketers like puppets. At junior levels, the organisers occupy bigger media space than the players! Ministers used to give long ‘inspiring’ lectures at inauguration and culmination of sports events. They want the media to ensure their names and pictures carried prominently, sportspersons can come later! Coaches cling on to players for their job security, even if the player scaled certain heights and needs better a guru. India’s first woman gymnast Dipa Karmakar at the globe’s biggest sports event can be considered for a new coach. No offence, but she has continued with the same coach with whom she learnt the ABCD of gymnastics. There are different teachers for a student at primary level, high school, college and university. Every teacher has his role to play and pass the student on to another for the latter’s benefit. These aspects deserve consideration once the Rio contingent is back home after August 21.

Most government-aided schools in India are not ones established by the government. They were initially set up to meet the educational requirement of a particular region. Nowadays, business-oriented schools are coming up even in rural areas. It’s been a trend that schools and colleges set up by locals start looking for government grants after some years. The teachers get government salary after years of persuasion. With increase in the number of applicants for government aid, the process gets delayed very often. No wonder teachers coming to the street with demands is a regular happening.

Teachers under the banner of one association in Meghalaya have announced a two-week-long strike from August 22 demanding provincialisation of their institutions that would secure their jobs and ensure huge leap in salary. Some school and college teachers on government payroll draw salary in five digits while there are instances of teachers having to fend for themselves with Rs 2000-Rs 3000! The state government enhanced the salary of certain category teachers while leaving out the rest, fuelling the proposed strike. The teachers wonder why should they be paid less for teaching the same thing as those in government or provincialised schools do? The government says it has financial limitations in funding all schools set up in various nook and corner of the state.

Most of the schools where the teachers are on agitation were not established on the promise of getting government aid. But it has been a convention in the country to upgrade such schools, especially enhance the teachers’ salary as per government standard. These schools have immensely contributed towards the growth in education over the decades, but the scenario has changed with private schools mushroomed even in interior regions. Looking at the perennial government reluctance in provincialising schools, there has to be a second thought before opening a school. Like any other business, the school also must have a ‘sustainable model’ – students to get enrolled and revenue generation avenues including fees to run the school. Otherwise, the teachers would remain demanding their dues in the name of being in a ‘noble profession’ and never make teaching a ‘rewarding profession’. Any good profession has to be rewarding, else it would perish.

Treatment of liquid waste, segregation of solid wastes and environment-friendly disposal of wastes are still alien terms for common people of India. Most Modi fanatics are not very fond of his Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, if at all they understand the mission. They hardly remember Modi while throwing an empty plastic water bottle or a packet of potato chips from a running vehicle! Besides the main thrust of Swachh Bharat is on open defecation, which is hardly a menace in the North-east. Bidya Balan’s popular TV ad ‘Jaha Soch Waha Sauchalay’ makes little connection with the minds of the people of the region. In fact, travellers from North-east are often shocked by scenes of men and women defecating near the train tracks in states like Bihar. While NE is on the upper hand in terms of open defecation, the region fares poorly in waste disposal as urbanisation has gripped it fast.

A villager, by default, practises proper way of waste disposal. The waste water from his kitchen is eaten up by soil within the campus itself. The waste does not go out. However, with increased use of plastics, oil and detergents, even villages are no more Swachh. Busy with teaching cleanliness to urban people, government authorities and NGOs are yet to focus on villages. It’s time they be taught how to dispose of wastes, especially plastics. Thanks to rampant dumping of plastics, village markets are nowadays filthier than those in towns. Putting garbage bins and appointing cleaners for these markets is still a far-fetched idea. Although there are village administration bodies like panchayat, their priority is limited to building village roads, footpaths, drains etc. After Swachh Bharat, they are also engaged in building toilets etc. But there is nothing on the front of inculcating clean behaviours among the people. No lessons on disposal of plastic wastes. In most villages, plastic wastes are burnt as there is no common place to dispose them in scientific manner. The burning emanates poisonous gas, posing health hazard.

The maximum damage to the ecology was done by urban wastes. Governments have still refused to the threat the liquid and solid wastes are going to pose in coming years. Hardly any government in India has encouraged its residents to dispose at least the liquid and bio-degradable solid wastes within the campus itself. However, it is quite a challenging task. Stern measures as well as great motivation will be required to convince an urban dweller to spare an open space, which can earn thousands and lakhs in rent, for waste treatment and disposal! But there is no other way to clean the rivers and stop flash floods! Governments and people need to realise this. Sooner the better!

They are on the same page, at least on one occasion. Known for their political rivalry, Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma and Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief executive member (CEM) PN Syiem recently succumbed to pressure of anti-uranium mining groups and took back their respective decisions. While the government revoked a 2009 deal with the (Uranium Mining Corporation, the KHADC went back on its decision to give a partial NOC to a Centrally-funded road, halfway into the mining-rich area in West Khasi Hills region. It’s huge embarrassment for both the Congress leaders, who are poles apart in their political space. They gave different excuses for taking back their decisions, none convincing though.

While Sangma is seen to be a person in favour of development even at the cost of so-called indigenous rights, Syiem very often resorts to the “indigenous” sentiment (of Khasi Hills) to justify his political stand. Both are, in a way, correct in their political stands. The chief minister cannot be seen as saviour of one particular community. On the other hand, it is the mandate of the CEM to look after the interest of a tribal community for which the ADCs are formed under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. But what prompted them to take back their decisions is too obvious – the 2018 assembly election. With BJP at the Centre and also in neighbouring Assam, there is an air of uncertainty in the political circle of the state. A party which has never been a considerable factor in the state politics has threatened to become, at least, the kingmaker in 2018. Both CM and Syiem, despite their rivalry, have not hesitated to be on the same page on the issue of uranium mining.

No state or country has prospered unless their respective governments are strong. Even if there is prosperity, what will be missing is inclusive growth, social security, equitable rights. This is a key factor of the lack of development in north-eastern states. Meghalaya is a ‘leading’ state in matters of political instability. Weakness of the government machinery comes to fore every time it buckles under pressure of NGOs, who are more feared upon than the Opposition. Elected representatives hardly have a chance to go to the House – either government or ADCs – or to an all-party meeting for making decisions on controversial issues. And, the Opposition conveniently takes the side of NGOs in such matters. A strong government as well as Opposition are the need of the hour.

Authorities are very prompt, sometimes. In some cases, such promptness ‘for the sake of public’ can be taken with a pinch of salt. There is political agenda, there are hidden motives. It took no time for Meghalaya government to go all out against neighbouring Assam, now ruled by the BJP, over an incident of eviction of a couple of rented houses. A cabinet meeting and condemnation from chief minister Mukul Sangma within hours of the incident was quite prompt in this region of ‘Lahe Lahe’ (going slow). People of the state would want such promptness to be shown on every aspect, right from probing the education scam to attending to woes of border villagers living in the interiors.

There are hundreds of villages along Meghalaya-Assam border facing a lot of hardship due to the border dispute between the two states. Due to the dispute, development has been stagnant in these areas as either no state is keen on taking their responsibility or both states stake claim on them, leading to conflict. The people ultimately end up blaming each others across the border and even stall development projects sanctioned by ‘rival’ states. No wonder, villages on the vicinity of Guwahati in Meghalaya are very poorly connected, even though the states claim there is no dispute in these areas. Areas having border dispute suffer from poor infrastructure, lack of basic amenities, poor health.

The border people, from time to time, used to raise their grievances through the media, but to no avail. There used to be no prompt cabinet meeting on such issues. However, the hand of Assam authorities in the eviction has aggravated the matter. Had it been the same Congress government that ruled Assam for 15 long years before facing debacle in this year’s election, the reaction from Meghalaya government would not have been so strong. While politics played a key role in the incident, another probable factor can be an under construction five star hotel located in the vicinity. Reports in Assam media already highlighted the interest of hotel in the matter. There is nothing wrong in protecting genuine interest, if any, of the hotel, but same promptness is expected from the government on many much-delayed projects and probes.

The last thing APJ Abdul Kalam, in his lifetime, may have wanted was changing the Aurangzeb Road to his name. He never went after glory. Known for his simplicity, he would have opposed tooth and nail changing the name of the road – irrespective of how bad a ruler Aurangzeb was. But, everybody is doing their bit – some for their own glory – for keeping alive the memories of the great visionary.

A swanky newly-built mosque in Shillong where he died on July 27 last year set up a library in Kalam’s name. Very good! Books are something very closely associated with the Missile Man. He himself was a writer of a couple of bestsellers like Wings of Fire, his autobiography. On 27th, the mosque organised a Quran reading competition to observe the death anniversary. Nobody is sure if Kalam was great follower of the Quran! In the modern age – and Kalam was known to be a modern man with little impact of religion on his personality – most people have little knowledge about scriptures.

Bethany Hospital in Shillong shot to fame overnight for having the priviledge to offer the last treatment to the former President. The hospital has opened an emergency care unit in his memory. The IIM Shillong students, who were taught by Kalam on several occasions as a regular teacher, carried out a plantation drive. The premier institute where Kalam fell ill while addressing the students last year, started a lecture series. Besides, various institutes across the state and the country observed the death anniversary. He was associated with many institutions across the country and beyond. It’s fantastic to have so many activities happening in Kalam’s memory, but what is more important is to keep pondering whether they would be befitting his ideology and character. His name should not be hijacked – the most exploited being Mahatma Gandhi – by opportunists to fulfill their vested interests. The ‘Gandhi’ in the movie ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ gave a strong message as he said ‘break all my busts, statues and try to follow what I wished you to be’.